>> So the Steelers finish the preseason at 0-4, as Alan Robinson reports from Charlotte, and no small portion of the public will somehow ascribe that to how they’ll fare in the real thing.

Which is insane. Completely, utterly, fantastically insane.

Unless, of course, you think that Landry Jones playing the entire game last night had nothing to do with anything. Or that Ben Roethlisberger, Troy Polamalu and a half-dozen other guys didn’t play at all.

At any rate, this is the only Steelers game I get to watch from the laziness of my couch, and here are a handful of random observations: I love Derek Moye. Kid’s got to make the team. Great size for a receiver, good athleticism. I don’t care what he does on special teams. This corps could use him, if not now then down the road. … If Markus Wheaton had an NFL quarterback throwing to him, all of Pittsburgh would be buzzing about him this morning. … Curtis Brown is this close to being a total bust. He might be even closer than that. … Cortez Allen is going to be better than Keenan Lewis, sooner rather than later. … It’s preseason, and analyzing play-calling is generally stupid. But once inside the opponent’s 10 or 15, it helps everyone to work on at least throwing the ball in the end zone rather than all those silly screens and draws. It really can all happen at once. … Last one: David Paulson looked great with that hurdle of an opponent, and he made a couple good catches. But show me a tight end who gets knocked around like a rag doll in blocking schemes, and I’ll show you a tight end who’ll get replaced by an extra lineman — Kelvin Beachum — for the Tennessee game.

>> You’ll find much, much more in our NFL Preview special section Sunday. It’s 12 pages, it’s packed with features and information and graphics, and it features a compelling cover story on concussions and football by Robinson. And as with so much, it’s far better in print than online.

>> One of the many awesome things about Western Pennsylvania high school is that we name our stadiums cool things like the Wolvarena, site of tonight’s biggest clash, per Chris Harlan. If you’ve never been to the place some of us still call Turtle Creek Stadium, it’s like Rome’s Colosseum.

Oh, and in any battle between George Novak and Jim Render, I’ll take a tie.

Dejan Kovacevic, a lifelong Pittsburgher, is an award-winning sports columnist for Trib Total Media covering the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates, Pitt and, recently, his fourth Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He also appears on WPXI-TV's 'Subway Final Word’ and hosts a weekly show on TribLIVE Radio. For 2011, he was named one of the country's top four columnists by the AP Sports Editors. For 2012, he was named one of the country's top three columnists by the National Headliners. For 2013, he was named the state's top columnist by the Keystone Press Awards and top columnist in Western Pennsylvania by the Golden Quills.

I still can’t figure out which one was worse, but I guess it was the Pirate game became that one counted in the real standings.

Make note….I hope I’m wrong….But this Steeler team strikes me like a 6-10 team at best.

Yes…I’m well aware it’s preseason.

The last time a team lost all four preseason games, and won the Super Bowl was the ’82 Redskins. I think that’s a pretty all-telling stat.

As for the Pirates….Marlon Byrd and John Buck had four out of the six hits tonight. That solidifies the statement “this team just can’t hit” because it can’t. It took two very recent members of the Mets to get 2/3’s of the hits, and that wasn’t enough to produce a run.

However…If the Brewers play as well against the Cards and Reds, we’ll be alright….

Right?…Right?…Right?!?!

DK: I had the Steelers game on TV. I don’t think I even own a radio anymore.

I don’t know what DK means by “Ultra-mega-fantasmagorically-Epic Collapse III”.
Is that not making the playoffs? Or finishing at 80-82?
A check of the standings finds the Pirates 8.5 games ahead of Arizona and 9 ahead of Washington (yes, THAT Washington). By my calculations they should be behind both by the middle of September, so I guess DK won’t have to worry about that nasty wildcard after all.
And can they really keep the streak going to no. 21? They’ll have to go 3-26 the rest of the way. For anyone else, I’d say no; for this bunch……..stay tuned!

Although the sniping was hardly Ali/Frazier, I was happy to see Pitt’s Devin Street show some swagger before Monday’s nationally televised game. I hope television plays it up a bit, and I hope Street burns Karlos Williams for 6 early in the game. Sounds as if Street is emerging as one of the team leaders. Good to see Isaac Bennett should play. I think he plays for sure despite Chryst’s coyness with the “may play” routine. They will need him to help out the “rusty” QB.

Shockingly, Vegas has Pitt at only 10-point dogs. Can’t see how they are figuring that one out, but I’m still hoping for the upset.

DK: Only one problem with the Panthers talking trash on the Seminoles …

With 29 games left, the Pirates magic number to eliminate Arizona is 22, to host the wild card is 27 (vs. Reds) and to win the division is 31 (vs. Cardinals), Games of interest this weekend are Cardinals at Pirates, Reds at Rockies, Giants at Diamondbacks and Mets at Nationals (because the Nationals are 1/2 game behind the Diamondbacks and have won 8 of their last 10).

It is not about avoiding the Wild Card.
To me, being in the Wild Card game is being in the playoffs. And at this point our team should be happy with that. It is still way better than being a team who is sitting at home.

———-
“…and no small portion of the public will somehow ascribe that to how they’ll fare in the real thing. Which is insane. Completely, utterly, fantastically insane.”

I didn’t watch the Steeler game, but after hearing and reading a lot about how this Steeler team is shaping up and what has gone on at camp & in the preseason games —we’ll see how insane that is.

The Steelers will REGRET not drafting a **** Tight End **** with the 4th round pick….instead picking QB Landry Jones (who will most likely be toting around a clip board for the balance of this & many fuure Steeler seasons).

. Said this after Heath Miller got hurt
. Said this before they signed Matt Spaeth
. Repeated it AFTER they signed Matt Spaeth
.
It’s frightening to look at the lack of quality depth at that position and it just remains a big concern about the lack of weapons on offense.

Good read DK. I would like to avoid the wildcard as well. Although I’ m not ready to say that the wildcard winner can’t go on to win it all. It’s only been one year with the system and if I remember correctly the Cards had all kinds of issues with their starting pitching last year. They were still able to make it past a really good Washington team.

The way the Pirates are playing right now it won’t matter if it’s a three game series, a five game series, a seven game series, or even a nine game series. They’ve lost 12 of their last 19 and won only 1 of their last 6 series.

My opinion on this is based upon my expectations for this team in the beginning of the season. I understand they are close to a division title, but my expectations were having a winning record. So I think getting into the playoffs via the wild card is fine. And I’m fine if that one game is on the road.

If in the beginning of the season I felt that the team was stacked with talent and should be considered a division winner – then I would have some disappointment that they didn’t win the division.

Morning All: Agree with many of the points listed above regarding the Pirates…statistics don’t lie. And yes, I have my concerns, too. That being said…it is September (well, close enough) and the Pittsburgh Pirates are in a pennant race. A full blown pennant race! We have waited 20 years for this. Obviously, we have no idea how the next 29 games will play out, but man, the Pirates are 1 game back in their division after 5 months of baseball. Not, 22 like the Cubs where this team usually is. To me, that makes this last holiday weekend of the summer and little sweeter with a head to head against the Cardinals. Just my thoughts … Beat ‘em Bucs! Oh, and have a nice weekend everyone!

At the beginning of the season, MOST of said we’d be happy with a WINNING record to end the streak. I stand by that.
I understand tho, that with how well this team has played (or how much they over-achieved, depending on how one looks at it) that MORE is wanted. That’s fine, if that’s how you feel. I’d love to see MORE also.

I tried to make the point on this blog a week ago that the Pirates’ goal in the final month of play should be the division title, nothing less, for all the reasons DK articulated so well in his Friday column.
The response I got from other bloggers here was: “UGH.” followed by, “+++”

I agree with TC. Football coach Bill Parcells said that his goal every year was to make “the tournament”, his name for the playoffs. His philosophy was. once you are in, anything can happen. Would I prefer that the Pirates win the division? Absolutely. Am I going to pout if they don’t. Nope. I am going to find someone with cable TV so I can watch the Pirates in the playoffs for the first time in 20 years.

You know…this blog is amazing: We moved from my original statement of Pirates are one game back after five months of baseball and we went to Halloween…snow…tide…sun…and seagull mating season… No wonder we are Loonies…

And, therapeutically-speaking, Teej, not a good thing for us to replay “‘Bird Is The Word.” It sets us all into an Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” FRENZY (no pun intended). And like the guy with the sword said to the guy no with arms and legs (or was it one left), yelling “come back and fight like a man” …

I read the column and its a good read… the implications in losing a start from your best pitcher from the getgo. However, its early yet and the pirates continue to slump IMO. Losing another series to the “lowly” brewers. Therefore, to quote the great Jim Mora:

“Playoffs??? Don’t talk to me about playoffs!? Playofffss?? I just hope we can win a game!”

My bold prediction for this weekend: The reds will make up ground on either the pirates or cardinals.

I’m just curious: I wonder how many teams added one or more players for the stretch, and it actually helped significantly and carried them into the playoffs? I know there are other variables, but even if there’s not anything MEASURABLE and RECORDED out there, can any of y’all think of anyone in recent history – or even non-recent – where a guy went to a club and really gave them a lift into and through the playoffs?

Guess I’m wondering about this TEAM CHEMISTRY thing a bit, too.

Aw heck, there’s not any more to team chemistry than there is to clutch hitting, is there?

Well Groat, when we pray to God for help, She gives us what She thinks is best, and it’s not always what we’re asking for. I’ll just ask her to END THE STREAK, not TELL Her how many games it has to be beaten by

Previously on the blog, I repeated something I heard which was playoff teams win 2/3 of their home games and 1/2 of their road games, but I never figured out how many wins that was. So, 2/3 of 81 home games is 54. 1/2 of 81 road games is 41. 54+41=95. I wonder if that’s where Hurdle got his number of 95. Winning 95 is easier said than done, obviously.

I know dass right, Tom! Don’t know about you, but after a game like last night, there’s a little DREAD inside me as I open this thing up and enter the ANGRY BLOG (as opposed to the ANGRY MOB!) I was pretty daggum bummed myself … and it’s still the morning after! (Please, no one cue that old Melissa Manchester song! Oops! A quick check reveals that’s the mother MM – Maureen McGovern)

Good Morning to our blog regulars this morning.
Special shout out to Lucky, and Jandy, our resident miracle workers.

I would like to address something I saw at the end of the game thread last night…….. about perceived criticism of Cutch.

A statement was made that Cutch didnt hustle out of the box on his triple in the first inning. Then, several posters said dont criticize Cutch for lack of hustle. And, a back and forth ensued.

I believe it is very possible to root for Cutch, our MVP, best player, team leader, he of scorching August……………. and criticize him for that one SINGLE PLAY, without criticizing his overall play. I think Cutch gives 110% every game, but on that one play last night, he didnt. That doesnt diminish any of his achievements, just shows he is human, and needs to set an example for his teammates. Nothing more, nothing less.

Fans should feel free to cheer/criticize as they wish, as long as they dont go overboard in either direction. Legitimately criticizing one play doesnt make one any less of a fan. Now if that criticiam is done over, and over, it becomes worthless.

I knew a lot of kids who refused to play for Render and their dads were okay with that. One individual played was on the roster for all four years and guess how many downs he played? Four. One for every year of high school.

Render plays to win. Which is good for the pros and college but not for high school.

LOL, Milo. I was getting in bed.
But I had to give my poor man’s view on this whole sad, silly sitiuation.

Much earlier in last nights thread, I gave an opinion that Cutch should imitate JHay when getting out of the box quickly. I really wouldnt call that a criticism, but some might. Anyway, I still think Cutch is the best by far on our team, and I wont let one incident ruin that feeling.

That loss last night was tough to see, but I actually feel pretty optimistic today. Alot of hard hit balls last night, many just happend to be right at guys. Not alot of ugly at bats or strike outs. Cutch’s comment sums it up for me:
“(Gallardo) got pretty lucky today. That’s how I see it,” McCutchen said. “We squared some balls up, hit some balls hard, and people happened to be in the right place at the right time. I won’t say he dominated because in my mind I don’t think he did.”

Tonight some of those hard hit balls are going to fall in for us. Hoping PNC is packed and loud tonight. This is meaningful baseball! We’ve waited a long time for this! Let’s Go Bucs!

Give the guy credit, though, he said he was leaving and he did. I think he has only popped up for a holiday greeting and sometimes posts on Travis’ sight. I haven’t lurked for free over at the pay per blog for months but I’m guessing he’s active there.

You threw out this briquette 75 minutes ago, but no one will come out and play with you.

I will.

You are exactly right: JHay is a “versatile bench player.” A versatile bench player should more than hold his own, then return to the bench and await his next opportunity. JHay did exactly that at 2nd base the other night.

To play a bench player too much overexposes him and he begins to fail. JHay had his very best game of the year on Wednesday, and he did not hurt the Pirates in the field which must always be a consideration with him——but that is no reason to expect him to have similar results last night.

Plus, Harrison can’t catch a cold in the outfield, much less play that expansive left field of PNC Park.

You guys know a lot more than me. I won’t know until after the season how I’ll feel based on how the season ends. It will probably have little to do with my expectations at the beginning of the season, though. For example, I had higher hopes for Martin and Liriano than I think DK did, but I certainly didn’t expect either one to be this good. So to not take things like that into account doesn’t make sense to me.

it also helps that I don’t remember what my expectations were, if I had any.

I think he actually came up with the number during an interview on the Fan (could be wrong). But he was asked, and he kept adding 3 games for this and three games for that and maybe a 2 for something else over last year’s record. It sounded like he was coming up with it at time, but probably had thought about it.

Did you all see on the chat where DK said Landry Jones might not make the roster?

If that happens I will be none too happy. We would have wasted a 4th rounder when we could have really knocked out another need.

Personally, I would have doubled dipped on the running backs and went with Jonathan Franklin, who some experts thought could have been the second best back in the draft.

If not Franklin, then we could have also double dipped on the safeties, which wouldn’t have been stupid since both Troy and Clark are well past 30, and grabbed Phillip Thomas. Some thought Thomas could have gone in the second round.

We also could have gone with an ILB, DE, TE. All of which look to be major needs for the 2014 draft.

Very disappointing.

DK: Not passing the buck, but I attributed that 100 percent to Mark Kaboly.

I think he will develope over the off season and become a more complete pitcher. I think his goal right now is to not give up many walks. I think he is trying to stay within himself and do what he’s comfortable with and give the team a chance to win when he pitches. He’s not trying to win the game for them but instead not lose it for them. Kind of like Charlie Batch.

wow, what is it like listenting to the highly irrelevant 4th preseason game on radio??? can’t even fathom that. I may try to listen to the “Paint Dry hour” on my transistor radio later tonight in my basement and will report back tomorrow.

wow, you must be calculating either wash or az or both pretty much wins all of their games and the Bucs losing most of theirs, then. Until it is or isn’t mathematically possible, we can say anything is possible. But good luck with the odds on your math. You may want to purchase lottery tickets and prepare to be struck by lightning twice while you are at it.

i think the insanity is looking at preseason records and trying, on that basis alone, to ascribe any meaning to that come regular season. I think, don’t know for sure, but I think, the 0-16 Lions team a few years back was 4-0 in the preseason. Exhibit “One and Done” on that point. And thanks.

Ahoy, blogmateys! Keep Calm, all of you… it isn’t even September yet. It’s hard for most of us to remember but this is what pennant races are. Ups and downs. Ask Reds fans today how they feel…they just dropped 2 or 3 to these Brewers and then were spanked in St Louie… (though they did emphatically take the last game of the series).

The Reds will get another chance to spank the Cards…. 4 games in GABP starting Monday… this can set up nicely for our Buccos… take the series this weekend and then let Brandon Phillips treat Cards pitching like a lockerroom reporter.

Big game tonight for the Bucs.. not only does a W set up a series win, pull the Bucs tied at the top, but it also is Liriano’s game and at home so these are the games they need to win. I won’t jump off any bridges (real or imaginary) if they don’t win tonight, but a win would be a very good thing indeed.

I’m not in the predicting business (some bloggers today have the Bucs falling behind AZ and WA within 14 days (yikes!), but I can make a good case for the Bucs being 1.5 games ahead in first place by next Thursday heading into a very big final series of the regular season in STL next weekend. (Bucs take 2 this weekend, 2 in Brewtown, Cards lose 3 in Cincy).

oh and just to pre-empt the inevitable, yes the Bucs can indeed drop the next 6 in a row by a cumulative score or 192 – 3 and if they do it will all be because of cheap Nutting and the regime (that may be a good name for a new rock band).

I didn’t see the game last night, but from what I’ve seen, he has been god-awful. Wouldn’t surprise me. And hasn’t that guy who they picked up that has some NFL snaps, but is still young, been outplaying him? Wilson?

Two more thoughts from me, since my travels this week has eaten into my blog time and I need to make up ground

1. I listened to the audio of Tuesday’s Bucs-Brewers game via the AtBat app… the inning the Bucs scored 4 runs battling back (think it was the 5th), Neal Huntington spent the whole half-inning with Greg Brown…they were talking about Byrd/Buck mostly and Locke, but what stuck out to me was how accurately NH described Pedro…. paraphrasing “he’s an awesome power threat, and if can ever figure out going the opposite way and making more contact, he’d become a really good hitter”. Very honest and spot-on description of Pedro. He flat-out right now is NOT a good hitter, and his lack of consistent contact with RISP is killing the offense many, many times. I hope Byrd will help, hitting behind Pedro, not to get Pedro’s better pitches but to clean up what Pedro leaves on the plate — or more aptly “on the bases”…

Lots I’m sure to continue to find fault with NH and how he does his job, but to me, he has always been pretty accurate in assessing major league ability (though the scouts have been wrong a lot with projecting ability of prospects we trade for)…we can go down the line, but typically NH doesn’t overhype the ability of our players/prospects and is pretty level-headed.

2. The bar has been raised, and correctly so, based on the Pirates wonderful play through June (since then it has been .500). I will very, very disappointed with anything less than a division title…. and that’s a good thing. To get to being a legitimate championship organization, you need to have high standards. Not to say getting 82 won’t be sweet. Not to say getting into the playoffs won’t be awesome. It is possible for something to be sweet/awesome and still not be everything you want.

All of that said, it is also interesting to take another perspective. The Bucs remain 1game out of first place 6 weeks after losing their all-world closer Jason Grilli to a tough injury. They are still there despite only having Wandy, a very important veteran starter to stablize the staff, for 2 months of the season. They are still there despite missing their lead-off hitter, offensive spark and outstanding defensive player, Starling Marte for most of August. They are still there despite missing AJ Burnett for a big chunk of time….etc., etc.

Let’s raise it , I say… raise expectations! yes, division title or bust! raise a glass to this gritty team for overcoming so many obstacles to get to this point! and raise that jolly roger for a series win against the dreaded Redbirds and their ridiculous unstainable RISP and singles-hitting lineup.

i dont feel better either, just saying that just because we play teams with losing records it doesn’t mean that the wins are granted to us — or to the Reds/Cards or other teams. To win a major league game, you have to hit well, pitch well and play defense well…and if you don’t you can and usually do lose.

CUTCH IS A BUM for not running all out and getting an inside the park HR. I will take everything the all-star does for granted, hardly ever praise him for all the stuff he does that is outstanding, and only comment on his play when he , rarely, does something that is legitimately lagging but I’ll spend all my energy dogging him for that and not ever in praising for other amazing accomplishments.

Same way BIG BEN is a big loser everytime he takes a sack and throws a pick. And then I’ll be totally silent when his scrambling, playground-style single-handedly results in the game-winning score, just to save my energy for the next time he is a huge bum and big loser and should be benched in favor of Landry Jones.

The Window is getting an early start to the weekend, and kindly requests a lil’ help from one of you fine fellow lunatics.
If you one you could please re-post this for me in today’s game thread, you will have my thanks and gratitude!

TRIP-TRIP-TRIPLE PLAY FRIDAY!!!

******PLEASE READ WHAT IS WRITTEN BELOW******
PLEASE PLACE YOUR “WAGERS” AS REPLIES IN THIS COMMENT BOX
Makes my job a helluva lot easier when I don’t have to hunt to find everyone’s “wagers”

Max “wager” is 100 units on any single line.
All “wagers” must be in multiples of 5 units.
Play as few or as many lines as you’d like.
As always, this is for fun and entertainment purposes.

NEW PLAYERS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME & ENCOURAGED!!

Line #1Total RUNS ALLOWED by Francisco Liriano in tonight’s game
Line is 2.5
***Please note this is Runs Allowed, NOT Earned Runs***

Line #2Total Combined HOME RUNS HIT by Pirates Batters this weekend against St. Louis
Line is 3.5

Line #3Total WINS by the Pirates this weekend against St. Louis
Line is 1.5

Since we could only sign him for four years, there a good chance he won’t be given a chance to start. I think we should have held out for QB till next year’s draft, especially since we have so many needs right now.

I must have missed the day where being a fan changed into being an unabashed teenage cheerleader regardless of what you see in front of you. And no one is due the slightest bit of criticism no matter the evidence. And pointing out a momentary lapse in effort (gasp) or judgement became taboo.

Maybe it coincided with shutting off the scoreboards & giving everybody a trophy just for showing up.

You’re not SERIOUSLY accusing Biz, who disagreed with you last night, an unabashed teenager regardless of what you see in front of you, are you Milo? People disagree on stuff, but man, you’re usually much more thick skinned. Biz is hardly any of those things you described.

Milo, right on….and if most folks could criticize A play or A decision without taking that so-easy slippery slope slide to “the player is a bum”, “trade that loser”, “fire the manager or coach”, “send him to AAA”…”i told you that player is overrated”, etc then all is good.

I think, and I don’t know, that the pushback some give on criticisms of the more popular players is because the balance is usually out of whack— the louder voices are the ‘go too far” crowd and not the more reasoned “call it like we see it” crowd.

Just my view. I over the many months I’ve been on this blog have called out shortcomings (Cutch’s biggest issue is when he slumps he ignores the opposite field and gets pull happy); (Walker can’t hit RHPs); (Pedro Ks too much and his pitch recognition is not much better than mine probably is); (AJ loses focus and doesn’t go deep enough in games to save the pen) and on down the list. I think many on this blog routinely practice selective criticism and balanced perspective. But that is drowned out by the group that loves to hear their own voices—- either in the over-the-top negative direction or the over-the-top defensiveness position.

interesting, interconnected lines, Batman! For the Bucs to take 2 of 3, my hope-upon-hope prediction, they will likely need Frankie to win and to hit HRs to counteract the punchandjudy offensive force of the Cards.

and that would’ve been the wrong move in my opinion. There is a difference between not running all out on a triple (what most major leaguers do, right or wrong) and what, say, Puig has been doing in LA. I wholeheartedly support how Mattingly is handling that but I also know that the fans in LA will torch him out of town if he goes much further than he has with Puig……

i think the manager/staff just need to be tuned into each player and what makes them tick. Seems to me Cutch doesn’t need much external motivation and if he lapses, rarely but he does, then best move isn’t any type of in-public displays of discipline… might be done behind closed doors or maybe they don’t ever mention it because Cutch himself recognizes it and beats himself up for it. I don’t know but I bet the manager/coaches know what approach works best.

I appreciate that. But if there’s something I want to say to Biz, I’ll say it to Biz. We left that last night. I was making a general comment, not trying to blindside anybody. That’s not the way I operate. And it’s ridiculous that I even feel the need to defend myself.

Didn’t know that, Groat. Last time I communicated with him he said he had asked Dejan via e-mail, and he wouldn’t respond. He did say that the Trib blocked him, though, not Dejan specifically. And he shared some communications from the Trib to that effect.

DK: I’m done with him, and I’m done with all of the Pirates’ bloggers and sycophants who have gone from distorting things I write to now telling — and spreading — outright lies about me.

Here’s the incredible part, though: That has resulted in 48 total blocks on Twitter. That’s it. Out of 33,000, just 48, and suddenly there’s total silence from that crowd.

Been saying this a long time, but this is a tiny, tiny group that just happens to make a ton of noise. And it doesn’t do anything for me — or the broader readership — if I invest so much as two seconds out of my day on any of them.

YES! Didn’t see it, but even Dejan said in his chat that Cutch “dogged it” out of the box. How ANYONE can do that at this juncture of the season under ANY circumstances is beyond me. Criticism warranted when it happens, regardless of the guilty culprit.

Just my opinion, and I did see it, Cutch didn’t “dog it.” My impression was he thought initially it was going to either be a home run or caught. Happens every day to lots of good players who play all out. Unfortunately, the guy missed it, and if he would have been running all out, he could have done better. And he does have a tendency to only put on the jets (his second gear) after he sees it’s needed. I think the criticism that he should get out of the box better is warranted, and he messed up on this one, but I just don’t see “dogging it.”

(Sorry to direct this at you, Karen, because lots of people have been taking that view, it’s just the convenient location to put what I think)

I agree with you cmat. My comment was a rather lame attempt at some humor.

Remember earlier this year when Bannister was managing the club after CH got tossed? I think it was in St. Loo? Bannister removed Cutch in the 4th or 5th inning with a double switch. Some folks around here went absolutely nuts.

As far as last night goes…..When a player ends up at 3B, standing up, after jogging half speed to 1B….well, that’s just bad baseball. And I’m willing to bet Andrew McCutchen wouldn’t argue that. I’m also willing to bet it won’t happen again.

I thought Pedro had started to show signs — and results — of making more of an effort to go oppo, early during the California swing. But then he reverted back to his old ways. Pedro clearly needs to fix this because while HR’s are nice, it’s his only trick.